Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP’s) are conservation plans that are unique to livestock and poultry operations. These plans document the practices and strategies adopted by the land owner or operator to address the natural resource concerns related to soil erosion, water quality, utilization of manure, and disposal of organic by-products.

The development of a CNMP begins with a comprehensive resource inventory of the current site conditions. Management options, which may include structural alternatives, are developed to address the resource concerns identified during the inventory process.

The NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook (NPPH), Part 600.5, and Part 600.6--Exhibit 15, define the minimum criteria for developing a CNMP.

CNMP Land Plan Template - A recommended format for plan development and organization of the information that the CNMP should contain when manure is generated and applied to land. This template describes the type of information to include in the CNMP, and can be modified as necessary to address specific situations. (DOT; 492 KB)

CNMP No-Land Template - A recommended format for plan development and organization of the information that the CNMP should contain when manure is generated and all is exported from the operation. This template describes the type of information to include in the CNMP, and can be modified, as necessary, to address specific situations. (DOT; 492 KB)

To provide environmental benefits, conservation practices must be operated and maintained as designed. This document provides practice descriptions and O&M Narratives that can be inserted into the CNMP Template. For existing conservation practices, use this document to copy/paste the operation and maintenance requirements into the CNMP Template, Section 4. Where available, Job Sheets in Section IV of the eFOTG may also be used. (DOC; 92 KB)

The contents of this document are meant to assist qualified planners to develop CNMPs; the information is consistent with NRCS standards to protect or enhance water quality for any Animal Feeding Operation (AFO). The document contains up-to-date animal mortality disposal methodologies and guidelines for poultry and cattle operations as well as useful tips and management considerations for the manure production areas. Use this document to copy/paste the operation and maintenance requirements into the CNMP Template, Section 8 (No-Land Plan) or Section 9 (Land Plan) (DOC; 2.76 MB)

Resource Inventory for Conservation Planning Field Evaluation Worksheet
These worksheets are designed to assist the conservation planner to evaluate and document existing site conditions and resource concerns. (DOC; 305 KB)

The nine steps of conservation planning are used to develop a CNMP, so the end product meets the short- and long-term goals of the producer. All applicable local, Tribal, State, and Federal water quality goals or regulations are followed, including evaluation and documentation of compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. (XLS; 81 KB)

MMP - Manure Management Planner

Manure Management Planner (MMP) is a Windows-based computer program developed at Purdue University that's used to create manure management plans for crop and animal feeding operations. The user enters information about the operation's fields, crops, storage, animals, and application equipment. MMP helps the user allocate manure (where, when and how much) on a monthly basis for the length of the plan (1-10 years). This allocation process helps determine if the current operation has sufficient crop acreage, seasonal land availability, manure storage capacity, and application equipment to manage the manure produced in an environmentally responsible manner. MMP is also useful for identifying changes that may be needed for a non-sustainable operation to become sustainable, and determine what changes may be needed to keep an operation sustainable if the operation expands.

Getting Started with MMP - This guide describes how to use Manure Management Planner (MMP) to develop a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan.

Additional Resources

MDE/EPA Regulations for Animal Feeding Operations

Animal Waste Management

Animal Waste Management Software (AWM) - AWM is a planning/design tool for animal feeding operations that can be used to estimate the production of manure, bedding, process water and determine the size of storage/treatment facilities. The procedures and calculations used in AWM are based on the USDA-NRCS Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook.

Conservation Planning

CNMP Watch - is the complete Web source for Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning (CNMP) information. It is designed to get you started and assist you through the process of developing and writing of CNMPs. CNMP Watch is a project of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation (NASDA). The project is funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).